Laxies 2012: Vote Northwestern for Team of the Year

The 2012 Laxies are here! This year marks the fifth annual awards that are voted on by you, the readers! There are women's players/teams nominated in five different categories so make sure you're heading in InsideLacrosse.com/Laxies to vote.

On Tuesday, we took a look at the five players who have been nominated for Women's Player of the Year. The Northwestern Wildcats are up for an award, receiving a nomination for Team of the Year. Also in the running: Loyola's championship men's team, the DIII champion Salisbury Sea Gulls and the MLL and NLL champions, the Chesapeake Bayhaws and the Rochester Knighthawks.

The Wildcats continued one of the most impressive dynasties in sports, winning their seventh national championship in eight seasons. Northwestern faced some adversity within the American Lacrosse Conference, falling to Florida in both the regular season and the conference championship game. As always, coach Kelly Amonte Hiller had her team playing its best heading into the NCAA Tournament and the Wildcats strategically knocked off Notre Dame, Duke and Maryland to make an eighth consecutive championship game appearance.

NU faced an early 4-2 deficit, but chipped away at Syracuse in the national championship game. Shannon Smith led the team with two goals and two assists and Alyssa Leonard and Gabriella Flibotte combined for 11 draw controls to lead the Wildcats to an 8-6 win.

Click here to vote for Northwestern and all of the other women's players and teams that are up for Laxies.